Improvement in direct-acting steam-pumps



.arn'nvr Prion Os'CAn '.r. nAnLE, on NORWALK, CONNECTICUT. I

. IMPROVEMENT IN DIRECT-ACTING STEAM-Pumps.

. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,991, dated August26, 1873; application filed yMarch 22, 1873.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, OSCAR T. EARLE, of

Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and the by means of which anypackings subject t o expansion and contraction under variations oftemperature may be easily and readily adjusted or loosened to compensatefor such expansion or for the wear, as occasion requires. This packingdevice is especially applicable to the class Of steam-pumps known ascloselyconnected steam-pumps,77 and by/its-employ-n ment between the twocylinders of such pumps allows a perfectly-close connection to be madebetween the'same vwithout any open intervening space, and a perfectlyadjustable packing around the piston-rod, which has not hitherto beenpossible. The second part of my invention relates to a new andimproved-puppetvalve to be used in connection with the steamcylinderwhen the main valve is operated by the pressure of the steam in thevalve-chest;

. and it consists of an ordinary dat disk-valve,

with an annular groove around its face containing elastic packing, andattached to a valve-stem, recessed or bored at its upper end to admitthe steam around or through it from the induction-port into thesteam-chest, and chambered or bored at its lower end, making a portthrough the same, terminating opposite a port connecting with the mainexhaustport when the valve is upon its' seat, and leading from thesteam-chest into said exhaustport. Puppet-valves, operated by the directaction of the steam-piston, have heretofore been used to admit and cutof the steam'alternately on each side of the main valve; but hithertothe steam has been passed through ports drilled in the body of thesteam-chest,

and not through recesses or chambers in the valve-stem, as inmyinvention, which presents many advantages over the former method,being greatly cheaper. The third part of my invention relates to a newand improved p1uni ger for steam pumps or engines, consistln g of ahollow tube of metal, either drawn or cast,

and turned or otherwise finished on its outside to aV true surface, andconned, in any suitable manner, upon or between suitable heads, forminga hollow plunger or piston of little Weight in comparison to thoseheretofore used, and one that can be renewed as often as worn by simplyremoving one of the heads and substituting a new tube for the old one.

The drawing, Figure l, represents a longitudinal section of thesteam-cylinder of my pump, and. Fig. 2 a section ofthe water-cylinder.

A represents the steam-cylinder, and B the water-cylinder of thesteam-pump. A represents the valve-box of the steam-cylinder, and B thevalve-box of the water-cylinder. C C represent the valves innthevalve-box of the water or pump cylinder, constructedof suitable elasticmaterial, and formed with a bead or shoulder, c c, around their rearsurfaces to hold the spiral spring C', which presses them against theirseats. D represents the stuffing device for packing the piston,consisting of an elastic annular disk of expansible material fitting inthe end of a recess or chamber, E, made for it, and confined therein bya plug, F, having a recess, f, cut around it, as shown, leaving abeveled shoulder. at the front end, against which a screw, G, with aconical end corresponding with the bevel, may be forced "for tighteningor pressing said plug against the packing and spreading it whenrequired. H represents a stuffing-box set into and secured to theinterior of the cylinder of the pump, and lcontainin g an elasticpacking-ring, I, which is confined and tightened in its place by meansof a gland, J which maybe adjusted by a screw, K. L L represent thepuppetvalves in the valve-box ofthe steam-cylinder, having an annulargroove around their faces containing an elastic packing, l l.' The saidvalves have their seats around the apertures M M leadingv into thesteam-chest in which the slide-valve N, between the two valve-pistons N1N2, travels. 'Each of these valves is attached to a valve-rod, O,recessed at its upper end, or bored, so as to form a passage between theinduction-'port and the steam-chest when the valve is raised. The lowerends of said valve-rods are chambered or bored, as shown,

so as vto form ports l? l? through the'same that terminate oppositeports Q, Q, connecting with the main exhaustport of the engine when saidvalves are in their seats.

These valves are operated by the piston of the engine at each strokethrough the medium of the valve-rods, as may be seen, and serve to admitand exhaust the steam alternately from each side of the piston-valve inthe valvechest, giving it the proper reciprocating motion to alternatelychange the ports of the steam-cylinder to put the main piston in motion,as will be readily understood by those familiar with this class ofengines.

R represents a hollow tube of metal, either drawn or cast, and turned orfinished on the outside to fit the interior of the cylinder in which itis placed, and supported upon or between the heads S S in any suitablemanner. Both heads, or either of them, are connected with thepiston-rod, which may pass through the center of the tube, when desired,to strengthen the plunger.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1s- 1. The gland F, with theannular beveled shoulder, in combination with the set-screw Gr fortightening the packing-ring D, substantial] y as described.

2. The puppet-valves with recessed or chambered valve stems or rods,constructed and operating as described.

3. The hollow plunger, consisting of a tube secured between heads S S'in such a manner that it may be readily removed and replaced when worn,substantially as described.

OSCAR T. EARLE.

Witnesses:

CHAs. L. OooMBs, J. G. LATHROP.

